Fujifilm X-H1 versus Panasonic FZ1000

The Fujifilm X-H1 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively,
in February 2018 and June 2014. The X-H1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the FZ1000 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (X-H1) and an one-inch (FZ1000) sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 24 megapixel, whereas the Panasonic provides 20 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Fujifilm X-H1 vs Panasonic FZ1000

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-H1 and the Panasonic FZ1000 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the X-H1 – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Fujifilm X-H1 and the Panasonic FZ1000 are of equal size. It is worth mentioning in this context that the X-H1 is splash and dust resistant,
while the FZ1000 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FZ1000 has a lens build in,
whereas the X-H1 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can find an overview of optics for the X-H1 and their specifications in the Fujinon X Lens Catalog.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Any camera purchase will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The FZ1000 was launched at a lower price than the X-H1, despite having a lens build in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Fujifilm X-H1 vs Panasonic FZ1000

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Fujifilm X-H1 features an APS-C sensor and the Panasonic FZ1000
an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ1000 is 68 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the X-H1 offers a higher
resolution than the FZ1000 (20MP), but the X-H1 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
3.92μm versus 2.41μm for the FZ1000) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the X-H1 is a somewhat more recent model (by 3 years and 8 months) than the FZ1000, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-H1 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The X-H1 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in relatively fast and reliable autofocus acquisition during video recording.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison: Fujifilm X-H1 vs Panasonic FZ1000

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder.
However, the one in the X-H1 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the FZ1000 (3690k vs 2359k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Fujifilm X-H1 and Panasonic FZ1000 along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

One feature that is present on the X-H1, but is missing on the FZ1000 is a top-level LCD.
While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, both cameras feature
an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (flickering).

Both the X-H1 and the FZ1000 write their imaging data to SDXC cards. The X-H1 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the FZ1000
only has one slot.

The X-H1 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Fujifilm.
In contrast, the FZ1000 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the FZ1000 was succeeded by the Panasonic FZ2500.

Review summary: Fujifilm X-H1 vs Panasonic FZ1000

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Fujifilm X-H1 and the Panasonic FZ1000? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a build-in lens.

More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2014).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the X-H1 is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision.

X-H1 18:07 FZ1000

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the X-H1 or the FZ1000 handle or perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool. If the camera you are interested in is not available, kindly get in touch, and I will try to locate and add the respective data to the application.